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A Reason to Get In Condition

My fingers are terrible. Rough, dry, catching on everything like the hook part of velcro tape. Or like taking rough grit sandpaper and having that catch and rub things the wrong way. I've been opening and handling lots of cardboard at work the past two days, and I also have what I call my dry winter skin. Very dry.

Grrrr. I really don't like having the cracks and splits in my thumbs or fingertips, nor do I appreciate how my cuticles will split, tear, and bleed from just brushing against something. So, out comes the heavy application of cocoa butter hand lotion at night. And lots of Aveeno hand lotion during the day if I can.

I don't do any spinning when my hands are this dry and rough. I can't get the fiber to flow smoothly, and I don't like lots of snags in stead of spinning. Bleh.

I discovered, by way of my mother, who found out by way of the maintenance man, that there is a spinning group meeting at the senior center on Friday night. Last night, March 1, was the first time for me to sit in. Since Mom doesn't drive at night, I played chauffeur and sat in on the group with her. Lovely ladies, full of life and laughter, and I can't wait for the 15th to come around. I now have a reason for getting rid of those nasty rough fingertips and getting them back in good spinning condition.

Every first and third Friday of the month, the spinning group (now called the Carroll Spinners) meets at the Westminster Senior and Community Center, 6 – 9 pm. I know where I'll be those evenings, as long as my working schedule allows! I admitted to the ladies that I have a Ravelry name, and owning up to 2 spinning wheels. Ashford Elizabeth (single treadle, bought pre-double treadle time period) and a Schacht Matchless with a single treadle. Schacht was just starting to make the double-treadle Matchless, but I wanted a single, and boy, am I glad it's only one treadle! The Elizabeth wheel is quietly snoozing under a cloth in a corner of the living room, next to Mom's Elizabeth wheel. Yes, this is a multi-wheel house! Her Matchless (also single treadled) sits next to mine, and both wheels have spinning-in-progress quietly resting.

I have several drop spindles, and one spinning project is still on 2 spindles, waiting for me to finish plying so I can spin the rest of the roving. I don't know how much yarn I've spun from the roving. It's a merino roving Mom dyed using food coloring and a little kool-aid, in lovely rainbow colors. Wonder if I have a picture or can get a decent one showing the colors? That yarn is earmarked for future socks, if I ever get it finished! The spinning wheel work-in-progress is a blue-ish roving that has only filled half a bobbin, never been plied. I don't really remember the last time I spun on the wheel. Two years? Three??? It needs serious cleaning up and oiling before I can start back up again. I'll need to check the drive band too, see if it is in good condition or needs replacing.

I haven't started a 2013 project list yet. I still need to count out the projects started, finished, and languishing as UFO's or feather castles for 2012. It's more than 2 that I finished! I'll also have to start getting in the habit of taking photos of my finished projects, and maybe a few in-process photos too. Seeing how something looks says more than just talking about it.

My current knitting is the Beithe shawl, and a pair of Imbas socks. Beithe just needs the I-cord finishing, and Imbas sock 2 is near the ribbing and overlay. You have to knit it just to understand it!

I think there's also a scarf or shawlette still on the needles made of a multi-stranded skein of yarn that I purchased at the Maryland Sheep and Wool from Autumn House. I recently rediscovered it in my yarn stash, but I don't know or remember the exact content, just that it may have silk, and I like to knit it. Well, except for when my fingertips are going velcro/sandpaper texture, that is. Then it rests and waits for them to get a little smoother for knitting. It's a variation of a simple triangle shawl, starting at the bottom tip and growing out at the sides gradually every row, with eyelets along the side edges. I'll just knit it until all the yarn is used up, then bind off, work the ends in, and enjoy it. Nice, simple, and great for when I watch TV but need something to occupy my hands.


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